Tag Archives: ryuji

Ryuji Takasu may look like a mean guy, due to his small fierce eyes, but in reality he is a kind-hearted teen who loves to cook and is maybe just a bit OCD when it comes to cleaning. Unfortunately, his classmates are to frightened by his appearance to realize what a nice guy he is. It’s the start of his junior year of high school, and on the first day he runs afoul of Taiga Aisaka, a short but cute girl nicknamed “The Palm-top Tiger” due to her ferocious attitude and temper. After a series of misunderstandings (and KO punches from Taiga’s fist into Ryuji’s face), the two learn that each has a crush on the other’s best friend. A pact is formed as they team up to help each other attempt to win the hearts of their respective love interests and, obviously, shenanigans ensue. Continue reading DVD Review – Toradora: Volume 1 Premium Edition→

So I guess my secret is out – I really like Kugimiya Rie’s voice as tsundere – nothing else, not at all, just tsudere. As it is the end of the year and we’re dry on fresh ideas or simply not feeling that any reviews should be written for the Fall 09 season, I present to you – The Taiga Profile.

(I always love MAD videos – they give me proper seisures!)

Taiga Aisaka or Aisaka Taiga is a better tsundere character because she has much deeper character depth and she has a background story that’s rooted deep in a the story of lot of wealthy families from ancient times to today. But it is speciallty a Japanese phenomenon taken to the extreme – hard working parents that are never home, not even on Christmas or New Year’s. That said, what props Taiga up is her lovable but fierce, no-nonsense (except when in love) personalty and daringness to experss her unhappiness in front of people. Maybe it’s childish to us, but to a Japanese viewer, that’s phenomenoal, shocking and releasing. Anyway, more clips.

(Emotional breakdowns are genuine as this in anime is hard to find)

But Taiga isn’t just a all-out fighting and toughing it out character. She longs for love and she wants it hard. Always wearing that protective shell and yet hating it but can’t really give it up makes her realizes that she needs Ryuji more than ever, especially around the “most wonder time of the year”. To me, the period from Christmas to New Year’s is the “most depressing time of the year”. Less talking, more clips.

(Just go. Don’t stay too long or you’ll regret…)

She just needs someone who can tolerate, accept and even come to love all her faults. We all need someone like that. As tough as she is outside, she wears all the feminine accessories during special occassions to show people what she really wishes she could show all the time. But only with Ryuji she doesn’t have to show a mask or show a special feminine side. Both are her and both are equally presented in front of him.

(is it scary to be vulernable? Is it scary to jump off Taipei 101 even with protective gear? That depends on the person)

There isn’t much more to say and I just ended this article with the above youtube video. Have a good night and take care of your loved ones, friends, family, lovers and all.

Toradora is the standard-setter anime about high school shounen romance. It does for high school love what Kare Kano does for adolescence in general and Honey and Clover did for post-adolescence–and that well-defined scope is both its strength and its ultimate limitation.